Three of four Tilton-Franklin armed robbery suspects arrested

TILTON – A joint police investigation into recent armed robberies at convenience stores in Tilton and Northfield has led to the arrest of two Northfield residents and one of two Franklin residents allegedly involved, according to Tilton police.

"We have made arrests in the armed robbery of the Tilton Shop Express, and we also learned they did an armed robbery in Franklin on Sept. 9," said Tilton Police Chief Robert Cormier.

On Aug. 21, police were called to an armed robbery in progress at 3:30 p.m. at the Tilton Shop Express at 622 Laconia Road.

The store's clerk told police that a man walked into the store holding a handgun and wearing a mask. The man then pointed the gun at the clerk and threatened him, demanding money. The clerk handed the man and undisclosed amount money from the register, and the man fled on foot behind the store, Cormier said.

On Sept. 9, Cormier said an armed gunman "with similar characteristics" robbed the Franklin Shop Express store at 449 Central St. also made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Police in both communities believed the cases were linked and began a joint investigation.

Cormier said "the investigation, tips and leads" led police to arrest David Messier Jr., 33, of Northfield and Shannon Gauthier, 32, of Northfield on armed robbery charges in relation to the Tilton Robbery.

Messier was the gunman in both robberies in Franklin, Cormier said. He was arraigned on Friday and ordered held without bail.

Police said Gauthier was the "getaway driver" in the Tilton robbery and is being charged as an accomplice to robbery, and is also being held without bail on the Tilton armed robbery.

Angela Kulacz, 34, of Franklin, was arrested Friday night by Tilton police and charged with criminal liability for the conduct of another in an armed robbery "for her role in the planning and assistance in the Tilton armed robbery," Cormier said.

She is being held on $25,000 cash.

A warrant has been issued for Mark Pelky Jr., 25, of Franklin, Cormier said, for his alleged involvement in the Franklin robbery. He had not been arrested as of Friday night.

Gauthier and Messier were arrested on Thursday and held without bail prior to their arraignments "at their request," Cormier said.